Ozone injection for continuous flow cleaning systems

Abstract

A mobile floor cleaning machine has a clean water system with a reservoir for applying water to a floor during cleaning. The floor cleaning machine includes an ozone source which generates ozone in liquid form and introduces the liquid ozone directly into the circulating water for eliminating pathogens in the circulating water. The ozone is generated continuously and essentially instantaneously by the ozone source and destroys most bacteria, virus, fungus and mold in the circulating water at room temperature, while decaying harmlessly to oxygen within the water and producing fewer by-products than chemical sanitizers and having essentially no environmental impact.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A floor cleaning machine comprising:
 a spray nozzle located at a forward portion of the floor cleaning machine or thereabouts; 
 a liquid cleaning solution reservoir; 
 a floor scrubbing assembly including a scrub member disposed aft of said spray nozzle and including a contact portion adapted to contact the surface of a floor to be cleaned; 
 a motor coupled to said scrub member for moving said scrub member into contact against said floor for scrubbing said floor; 
 a fluid conveying system including a cleaning solution flow sensor and coupled to said liquid cleaning solution reservoir and to said scrub member for providing cleaning solution to said scrub member; 
 an ozone cell coupled to said fluid conveying system for injecting liquid ozone into the liquid cleaning solution for eliminating pathogens in the cleaning solution, wherein said ozone cell receives water and generates ozone directly in the water; and
 a controller coupled to said cleaning solution flow sensor and to said ozone cell for initiating ozone discharge into the cleaning solution upon detection of cleaning solution flow and terminating ozone discharge when cleaning fluid flow stops. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1  wherein said ozone cell is located adjacent to where said fluid conveying system is coupled to said scrub member. 
     
     
       3. The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1  further comprising a cleaning solution pump coupled to said fluid conveying system for directing the cleaning solution to said ozone cell. 
     
     
       4. The floor cleaning machine of  claim 1  wherein said ozone cell includes an anode and a cathode maintained at a difference in DC voltage and separated by an ion permeable membrane. 
     
     
       5. The floor cleaning machine of  claim 4  wherein said anode is comprised of PbO 2 , Pt or boron-doped diamond and said cathode is comprised of Pt or diamond. 
     
     
       6. The floor cleaning machine of  claim 5  wherein ozone, water and hydrogen are generated by said ozone cell.